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Friday, 22 February 2013

Today's RAF Friday is
going to be a short 'un. I'm feeling rather grotty and have a sore throat- pah!
All I want to do is curl up, listen to Desmond Carrington and perhaps do a bit
of knitting :(

Anyway, here are two
little crackers that I adopted a while ago.

Again, like most of
my snaps I don't know who they are or the year they were taken.

I thought
they were rather fun and who can resist a snap featuring an aircraft, a camel and
some airmen, eh? I certainly can't!!

I'm actually quite envious of the chap on the right... not only is he clinging on to a rather lovely, snazzy shades wearing chap but he also has wonderfully shapely legs (ok 'leg' , but I'm guessing the other one is the same!).

Interesting are they not?!

I would also like to dedicate today's blog to Cyril, a chap who only had one wreath by his name. at the crem. I found yesterday even more upsetting when I went to look at all the beautiful flowers that were there for my great uncle and then to look down and see a lone RAF wreath from the Royal British Legion besides Cyril's name. All I can say is thank goodness for the RBL, otherwise there would have been nothing for Cyril. Just shows how important they are, and how they can help and be there for those who are not so fortunate to have what we sometimes take for granted.... A close and caring ring of family and friends.

Friday, 15 February 2013

This post was meant to be posted a couple of weeks back, but as
bloomin’ usual I have felt like doing very little! Well, better late than never,
eh!

I’m sure everyone knows by now how much I like knitting, and
most of you probably know how I idolise the mannequins that grace the covers of
the patterns that I treasure so. If not, then I absolutely adore them! They are
always so perfect looking- I guess that’s why they are models!

I have been coveting and collecting
these little pieces of knitting history for about eight years and I have always wondered, right from
the very beginning, about the mannequins themselves. Who are these glamorous
gals that captivate me so? Surely they have names, right?

Well, it hasn’t been at all easy trying to find out about
these girls let me tell you! So popular and photographed perhaps, but ruddy
difficult to trace! Like I said before, its taken eight years to get this far
and I’m slowly but surely making a list of names- Hooray!

So, it gives me great pleasure to unveil my new blog venture
….

Yes, I’m going to reveal their names one by one! Oooh,
exciting! (Well, it is for me because they are my idols!)
I’m going to start with the latest name I have found, and as
it happens it’s also the name of my favourite!

S'pose I better reveal her name then....

So Tupperettesor Tupp'eenies
(Tupperettes sound’s medical!), let me introduce to you my favourite model in the whole wide world,
Miss Peggy Chester. (I think
a trumpet fanfare would be a good ideal here- for dramatic emphasis
and all!)

This jumper is a must- wonder if I could make it now that I can crochet...?

﻿

Peggy Chester.

These four snaps of Peggy can be found in my first knitting pattern book. 15 or so knitting books and eight years later...!

***

I had mixed emotions when I first discovered her name- it’s
really silly and very sad, but I was totally taken aback by the discovery (Yes, I’m really
daft!). So much so that tears welled up instantly on sight of her name. I’m
actually getting a bit foggy now- there really is no hope for me…. Tupney, for
goodness sake woman- she’s just a model!

It was one of those double take moments, where one couldn’t
quite believe what one was seeing!

This is a very lovely little snippet of information and all, but....

I now want to know what service her husband was in... when they got married... his name... yes, I'm nosey!

Now, I may have her name (she says jumping with glee!) but finding anymore information
about her has been a very tricky affair indeed. All I have found, so far, is that she was one
of the mannequins chosen to showcase British fashions abroad in South
America during the war. Peggy may have also been one of the mannequins that also gave a private preview of the fashions to the King and Queen, but I can't be certain of this and may be making it up!

Isn't she just perfection?! Beautiful and elegant ♥

Ms Chester can also be found in adverts- Players, Vantona and WI dressmaking courses spring to mind. I've also seen her as an extra in film shorts too...

I shall leave you with one last knitting pattern featuring the Lovely Peggy and a tip top tune to match!

I could go on posting images of her as I have so many examples- but I must stop and sort things out :(

So there you are,

Mannequin no. 1

Of course, it goes without saying, if you know anything else about Peggy Chester or are a relative and don't mind sharing more information about her (?) then I would absolutely love to hear from you! (Well I like to hear from you Peggy related or not!)

Wednesday, 6 February 2013

Just to let you all know, this is my first proper attempt at a pin curl set in about 7 years- so things are far from perfect! Obviously I can't guarantee that this will work for everybody, as all hair reacts differently, but it still may be of some interest and it certainly can be used as a basic set to build on.

***

﻿

For this set, two methods of pin curls were used-
1. Flat pin curls
2. Barrel/ stand up curls.

The equipment you will need...
hair pins, a comb/ brush, setting lotion, a head of hair, lots of patience and fingers. I also used a 'hold bob' to create the pin curls because I'm rubbish at doing them around my fingers.( though a mascara tube would work just as well!)

For best results work on washed hair and be sure to dry it a little with a towel first -not too much though, otherwise your set won't last and your waves/curls will be... well, not very wavy or curly!!!

The Sections:

This set was done in four sections/ parts.

1. The top (parted on the left), 2 & 3. the sides (crown to ear) and

4. The back

***

The Top Section

First, section off the top part. Each section should be sprayed with setting lotion and combed through thoroughly.

Then make two rows of three barrel/ stand up curls, making sure they are even and rolled towards your side parting- (I used about an inch of hair in each curl for this top bit)﻿

The Side Sections﻿

Each side section is worked the same way and consist of 2 rows, with 3 flat pin curls in each row. The section should be parted from the crown to your ear.

The Back Section

To work the back-
First row- Make as many flat pin curls from ear to ear as possible- rolling towards the right ear. (I can't quite remember how many pin curls I made, but they were largish in size!)
The second row should be rolled towards the left ear.
The third, curl to the right again.

As you can see, these pin curls are not perfect and rather large. I would thoroughly recommend that you try smaller pin curls for better result. If you would prefer a more defined curl, I would suggest doing this section with barrel curls instead. If you use barrel curls, roll the first row down and the second row upwards.

Brushing Out

Once completely dry you can start to brush out (I had to brush mine out before it was completely dry as I had a headache, but obviously it's best once dry!).

There's not much I can tell you about how to brush out- it's very much trial and error. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy a pin curl set is to brush out- twas lovely!

One thing I always do though, is to brush out in sections-

the back first and then each of the side sections. Once these are done, I then brush the side sections into the back (if you don't do this you will end up with clumps and you really don't want that!), and lastly, brush the out the top section.

Here's two styles which I experimented with- the one on the left was created by brushing downwards from the crown, and I brushed towards the back for the second.

﻿

And there you are....

The Finished Set!

I've since had a few inches cut off the length, so I'll no doubt be back again with another curly top post... don't worry, it wont be so long and will have fewer pictures!

Tuesday, 5 February 2013

Just a flying visit to show off another fairly recent knit. (I say 'fairly recent' but it was started and finished last year!) Nothing terribly exciting this time, just a cable pullover.

The wool was one of mothers charity shop finds and is a lovely soft, springy yarn with a bit of wool in it. (it was called 'Click' but I can't remember the make!)

Finding the right pattern, once again, proved at little difficult- I knew exactly what I wanted to knit but couldn't find 'the' pattern (even in my rather large collection!). Who knew that a sleeveless pullover in a dk yarn would be so elusive. In the end, the only one I could find was for a boys slipover. Any roads, it was just the ticket and even had instructions for a sleeveless version- BINGO or rather LOTTO!

"Every schoolboy athlete must have a thick sports sweater for running and games. The one pictured here is knitted in a wide cable stitch alternated with a narrow rib, and the neckband, the cuffs and the welts at the bottom are knitted in a firm close ribbing"

Unfortunately I don't look as cool in my pictures! I also posed by a shed in the hope that it would make the wearing of slacks acceptable...I know, how shocking! Tupps in slacks!!!

﻿

Blimey, it was frizzywig when I took these photo's back in November- I even found it hard to smile because it was so cold!

I have quite a few projects on the go at the moment and will be back shortly with more updates...

Well, forget about my measly attempt because the real deal arrived in parcel form a couple of Fridays back!

It certainly puts my embroidery to shame- It's so neatly worked. (pah!) It took all my strength not to show you then and I'm glad I can finally let it loose on the interweb now.

So, what do you think?

I know nothing about the original owner, except that it also came with the sweetest little aluminium frame. I'm pretty certain that they belong together; due to the fact that both frames have the same thick, black tape on the back! I know, this hardly confirms anything, but the tape used isn't the sort that is usually used on such items. My ma says it's 'mans tape' and thinks it was embroidered by a chap and I must say, I rather like this theory! I like to imagine that the chap in the frame is also the chap who embroidered it! Oooh, perhaps he did it while convalescing or perhaps 'he' did it whilst in the confinement of his P.O.W. camp, and then gave it to his beloved?!!! OK, maybe its a little fanciful, but the Red Cross did ask for people to send items to keep the POW boys busy...who knows?!

These embroideries could be worked and framed like my one or used to decorate different household and personal items (more ideas can bee seen in this snap). I particually like the Radio Times cover.... I want, I want, I want!

And the frame that came with the embroidery...

^ What I call a dish with a fine head of hair!
This little frame is only 3 x 4 inches and is super cute.
I love the fact that this frame has printed inside the words...

"Real Aluminium
British Make "

A real sign of the times!
﻿

All in all, it was a very lovely little bundle to receive and will be very much treasured by me!

***

Oh, and here are some very silly snaps of me with some of my my pin-ups- John Gregson, David Niven, Bing and yes that's Arthur Askey in the background! Tommy Trinder and Roger Moore are also on my wall of fame, but unfortunately I'm sitting in front of them!
I hate to think what the original owner would say or think if he saw me wearing his "best blue" like this... ah well... Sorry Mr. R.A.F chappy!